Marlborough 16, Framingham 6: Blowout forces decisive third game

Thursday

Jul 20, 2017 at 10:04 PMJul 20, 2017 at 10:06 PM

On Thursday night, Framingham had a chance to knock Marlborough from the CMSBR playoffs after taking Game 1 of the best-of-three series on Wednesday night. But Marlborough wanted no part of that, and hammered the Flyers 16-6.

By Kevin J. Stone/Daily News Correspondent

FRAMINGHAM — A year ago, the Marlborough Senior Babe Ruth team knocked Framingham out of the Central Massachusetts Senior Babe Ruth postseason with a two-game sweep in the North playoffs.

On Thursday night, the Flyers had a chance to return the favor after taking Game 1 of the best-of-three series on Wednesday night.

But Marlborough wanted no part of that, and hammered the Flyers 16-6.

The Panthers (10-10) and Framingham (9-11) will play a third and deciding game on Friday night at Marlborough at 7 p.m. to determine who will face Sudbury in the North finals.

"When we get good pitching and we hit, we're tough to beat," said Marlborough coach Mark Chatalian.

After taking an early 3-0 lead, Marlborough pushed its lead to 4-0 in the second, but the Flyers crept to within 4-3 after three before a six-run fourth for Marlborough made it 10-3.

Andrew Smith, the No. 9 hitter Andrew Smith, got the huge fourth inning started with a leadoff walk. Robbie Short followed with a swinging bunt single, allowing Smith to take third. After a popup to first, Framingham starter James Draughn hit Joe Tunnera to load the bases, bringing up Paul Wydom. He launched a three-run triple to right center to make it 7-3.

That ended Draughn's night in favor of Andrew Keane.

Dan Coughlin quickly reached on a squeeze, scoring Wyndom to make it 8-3. Dylan White singled and Brandon Corfey reached on a dropped popup at short, allowing Coughlin to score for a 9-3 lead.

After a Justin Kett walk loaded the bases, James Barry hit a fielder's choice that erased White at home before a bases-loaded walk by Smith scored Corfey for the seven-run lead.

Framingham responded in the bottom of the fourth, getting a two-run double to center with two outs by Draughn to cut it to 10-5 heading to the fifth.

Marlborough tacked on another run in the top of the sixth to make it 11-5 on a White single, walks to Joe Leduc and Smith, and then a two-out RBI infield single with the bases loaded by Short that plated Wydom.

"We've had to fight all year, and we didn't want to go home yet," said White.

Framingham responded in the sixth as Draughn was hit by a pitch with two outs and the bases loaded to make it 11-6 heading into the final frame.

Marlborough continued to score at will in the seventh, plating five runs as reliever Nick Parga couldn't find the strike zone.

He walked six batters in the inning, three of them with the bases loaded. The Panthers also scored on a hit-batsman with the bases loaded and an RBI single by Short before White finished a complete game on the mound in the bottom half.

Marlborough scored three runs off of Draughn in the top of the first inning for a quick lead on three straight RBI singles by Coughlin, White, and Corfey.

Marlborough tacked on another run in the top of the second for a 4-0 lead when Smith reached on a one-out single to center, went to second on a bad pickoff attempt during a Robbie Short strikeout, and then stole third during a walk to Whitman. He came home when the throw into third sailed down the left field line.

Framingham was able to get to White in the bottom of the second, cutting its deficit to 4-2.

Justin Krier led off and reached on an error on a ball hit to third. Keane singled and Pat Watton walked to load the bases. Brady Bykowksi followed with a walk of his own to force in Krier and make it 4-1. Spencer Fuller followed with a sacrifice fly to center, bringing Keane in and making it 4-2.

White gave up another single before getting a lineout to third and flyout to right to get out of the jam.

The Flyers scored again to make it 4-3 in the third. Draughn led off with a single to right and went to second on a bad pickoff during a Ryan Urato at-bat. Urato laced a single to right and Draughn was sent home, but Coughlin gunned him down at home from right to keep it 4-2.

After a pop to second, Fuller walked and James Allen singled to load the bases. With Bykowski at the plate Urato scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-3.